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Life in the times of covid: India's envoy to Sri Lanka presents credentials via video conference

WION Web Team
NEW DELHIWritten By: Sidhant SibalUpdated: May 14, 2020, 04:14 PM IST
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India's high commissioner to Sri Lanka Gopal Baglay presents credentials via video conference. Photograph:(WION)

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Thanking the Sri Lankan President for the "innovative ceremony", high commissioner Baglay said, "leadership of the country PM Modi has been stressing the use of technology to overcome challenges. Challenges posed by COVID require innovative measures".

In what seems to be the new normal of life in a COVID world, India's new high commissioner to Sri Lanka Gopal Baglay presented his credentials to Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa in a ceremony that took place via video-conferencing. 

Thanking the Sri Lankan President for the "innovative ceremony", high commissioner Baglay said, "leadership of the country PM Modi has been stressing the use of technology to overcome challenges. Challenges posed by COVID require innovative measures".

Adding, "This presentation through video conference is an innovate way to overcome challenges of our times" and "it shows innovativeness of Indian diplomacy".

India has sent four consignments of essential life-saving medicines and medical material weighing over 25 tonnes to Sri Lanka in the last few weeks as a goodwill gesture. Sri Lankan health professionals have also participated in various online-training programmes on COVID management organised by health institutions in India.

Baglay, who has been the former spokesperson of Indian external affairs ministry said, "As Indian high commissioner in Sri Lanka I will work with all my might to take the relationship of India and Sri Lanka to even greater heights" 
 
Gopal Baglay has also served as Joint Secretary PAI (Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iran) desk in MEA and was India's deputy envoy to Pakistan from 2011-2014.
 
It is interesting to know, High commissioner Baglay arrived in Sri Lanka on an airforce plane that came with the consignment given the fact no international or domestic flights are allowed due to pan India lockdown. 

Prime Minister Modi had paid a solidarity visit to Sri Lanka during his first overseas tour after assuming the office in his second term last year. It was followed by the first overseas visit by Sri Lankan President Rajapaksa to India in November 2019. Sri Lankan PM Mahinda Rajapaksa's first overseas visit was India in February 2020.